Contempt of Court in Polk County, Florida
158 cases (2025) · Polk County courts
Updated September 2026 · 2025 data
In 2025, Polk County handled 158 contempt of court cases. Defendants faced a 79.1% conviction rate with a 10.1% adjudication withheld outcome. The dismissal rate of 3.8% was meaningfully below the statewide average of 5.7%, suggesting stricter prosecution or court interpretation of contempt charges locally. The withheld rate aligned closely with the statewide average of 11.0%. Diversion was minimal at 1.3%, well below the statewide 2.5%.
Sentencing outcomes reflected enforcement intensity. Among defendants with confinement, the average sentence was 169.4 days (median 120 days). Jail time occurred in 44.3% of cases, with an average probation term of 348.5 days. The average fine was modest at $79.40. Public defenders represented 47.5% of defendants, while 20.9% retained private counsel, suggesting moderate economic diversity among the charged population.
Citing these figures? Attribution line and monthly data pack.
Before Court: State Attorney Decisions
Not every Contempt of Court charge in Polk County makes it in front of a judge. Of 404 prosecutor decisions on Contempt of Court charges (2023-2025), the State Attorney declined to file, dropped, or dismissed 26.2% — below the 38.4% statewide rate. These decisions happen early in a case, before trial.
Source: Florida Department of Law Enforcement, State Attorney case data (2023-2025). Rates are per charge, not per defendant — a dropped charge often reflects a plea agreement on another charge in the same case, not the case going away. Percentages are of charges receiving a prosecution decision; transfers between courts are excluded. Court outcome data on this page is a separate dataset covering cases that reached disposition. Statewide charging patterns: The Florida Prosecution Report.
Outcome Breakdown (2025)
Exhibit · Case outcomes (2025)
Largest outcomeGuilty — 79.1% of 158 cases.
Source: FDLE Criminal Justice Data Transparency · 158 cases · 2025 — FloridaCourtFile.com
Sentencing Breakdown (2025)
Exhibit · Sentencing when convicted (2025)
Confinement-type detail below is computed across all available years (2023-2025).
| Confinement Type | Count | Avg Sentence (confined) |
|---|---|---|
| County Jail | 220 | 4.9 months |
Convicted defendants' full sentencing detail — sentence ranges, fines, prison vs. probation odds: Contempt of Court sentencing in Polk County.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the guilty rate for Contempt of Court in Polk County?
The guilty rate is 79.1% based on 158 cases (2025).
How often is adjudication withheld for Contempt of Court in Polk County?
Adjudication is withheld in 10.1% of cases (2025). This is a Florida-specific outcome where the court finds guilt but does not formally convict, allowing the defendant to avoid a conviction record under FL Statute 948.01.
What is the average sentence for Contempt of Court in Polk County?
Among convictions that included confinement, the average sentence is 5.6 months, with an average fine of $79 (2025).
What percentage use a public defender vs private attorney?
47.5% of defendants use a public defender, while 20.9% retain private counsel (2025).
Counsel Analysis (2025)
Demographics (2025)
Demographic data reflects systemic patterns in the criminal justice system and should not be used to draw conclusions about any racial or ethnic group. Disparities may reflect differences in policing, prosecution, and socioeconomic factors rather than actual crime rates.
| Race | Cases | Guilty Rate | Dismissal Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 122 | 79.5% | 3.3% |
| Black | 36 | 77.8% | 5.6% |
Age Distribution (2025)
Year-Over-Year Trends
Exhibit · Disposition trends
| Year | Cases | Guilty Rate | Dismissal Rate | Avg Sentence (confined) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 138 | 81.2% | 1.4% | 4.3 months |
| 2024 | 185 | 78.9% | 2.2% | 4.9 months |
| 2025 | 158 | 79.1% | 3.8% | 5.6 months |
Quarterly detail
Quarterly figures recompute from monthly disposition counts; quarters with fewer than 30 cases are suppressed.
Charge Level Breakdown
| Level | Degree | Cases |
|---|---|---|
| Misdemeanor | First Degree | 471 |
| Not Applicable | Not Applicable | 9 |
| Felony | Third Degree | 1 |
Related Charges in Polk County
Rates shown are 2025 unless marked otherwise.
| Charge | Cases | Guilty Rate | Dismissal Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Traffic Offense | 7,862 | 51.9% | 0.2% |
| Drug Possession | 5,926 | 81.8% | 0.1% |
| Other | 3,588 | 40.2% | 5.7% |
| Larceny / Theft | 2,669 | 70.3% | 0.6% |
| Resisting Officer | 2,448 | 77.3% | 0.8% |
| Battery | 1,836 | 63.0% | 2.7% |
| Trespassing | 1,480 | 77.8% | 4.3% |
| DUI | 973 | 97.8% | 0.4% |
Cite this page
FloridaCourtFile.com (2026). Contempt of Court in Polk County, Florida (2025). Based on 158 public court records; last updated September 2026. https://www.floridacourtfile.com/charges/contempt-of-court/polk
About this data: Statistics are derived from FDLE Criminal Justice Data Transparency records for Polk County. "Guilty" includes all cases where the defendant was found guilty. "Adjudication withheld" is a Florida-specific disposition where guilt is found but the court withholds formal adjudication under FL Statute 948.01. "Dismissed" includes all cases dismissed by the court or prosecution.
Source: FDLE Criminal Justice Data Transparency · 158 cases (2025) · Data last updated September 2026 — FloridaCourtFile.com